Earlier this week marked the one-year anniversary of the tragic shooting deaths of three Overland Park residents at the Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom retirement community. Rep. Kevin Yoder issued the following statement about the victims and their families:
“Today, we honor the memory of three people who were victims of a horrific shooting that took place in Overland Park one year ago. On April 13, 2014, the lives of Reat Underwood, William Corporon, and Terri Lamanno were tragically cut short.
“Mindy Corporon lost both her father, William, and her 14-year-old son, Reat, that day. Many people would understandably fall into despair. But amazingly, Mindy has used this tragedy to promote love, faith, kindness, and remembrance.
“Partnering with two non-profit organizations, Mindy and other family members of the victims organized a weeklong series of events entitled SevenDays: Make a Ripple, Change the World ending with a peace walk at the Jewish Community Center. This week of remembrance promoted understanding and encouraged kindness within the community to overcome the senseless act of hate that occurred one year ago.
“The overall response to this tragic incident, highlighted by the SevenDays events over the last week, has shown that our community of all faiths has a remarkable ability to come together, to become stronger, and to support one another in times of difficulty. Hate has no place in Overland Park.”